


Square

by yeaka



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Ficlet, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-29
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-14 10:49:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14134518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Ignis doesn’t care how good Noctis is at King’s Knight; he just wants his prince to eat a vegetable.





	Square

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Fill for anon’s “I just really want Ignis to be a casual gamer that kicks everyone’s asses without really even trying. Prompto and Noct don’t know whether to be angry or amazed” prompt on [the FFXV kinkmeme](https://ffxv-kinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/4747.html?thread=8977291#cmt8977291).
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Final Fantasy XV or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

The apartment is quiet, save for the rapid clicks of hastily mashed buttons, and a few bitten-off swears. Ignis follows the noises into the living room, and sure enough, he finds his prince there, along with that prince’s closest friend. Noctis and Prompto are each curled up on opposite ends of the couch, so thoroughly buried in their phones that neither even looks up to greet him. Unfortunately, that behaviour isn’t wholly out of the ordinary. Prompto, he’ll forgive—Prompto’s clearly using ever last bit of concentration to keep up with Noctis, and he was, after all, raised to be a normal teenager.

Noctis, on the other hand, was meticulously raised by the king himself and a studious wait staff, and his manners really should be better. But that’s a battle for another time. Ignis already has a particular mission in mind today: namely, the vegetable platter in his hands.

It’s an attractively laid spread he laboured over all morning, including three dishes of homemade dip, hummus, and guacamole in the center. He sets it on the coffee table, and the slight clink finally draws Prompto’s eyes. He casts Ignis a welcoming smile before quickly returning to his screen. Noctis finally grunts, “Hey, Specs.”

Ignis answers, “Your Highness,” which should be Noctis’ first clue that this isn’t purely a social call.

It still takes Noctis way too long, during which Ignis simply stands there and waits, before Noctis finally pauses his game. Without even noticing the vegetables, he looks up at Ignis to ask, “What?”

Ignis gestures down. When Noctis’ gaze finds the platter, his nose wrinkles. Ignis calmly explains, “I prepared this for today’s council meeting, but as it was unexpectedly cancelled, I see no reason to waste perfectly good food.”

Noctis mutters, “Good luck with that,” and returns to gaming.

Despite the rude distraction, Ignis continues, “It would be highly beneficial for your diet if you were to take advantage of this opportunity.

“Thanks, Mom.”

Pursing his lips, Ignis repeats, “It would be in your best interest...” But clearly, Noctis isn’t listening. Even Prompto’s returned to his game, though he at least has the decency to look sheepish about it. 

After a long moment of standing there, eyeing both of them in turn and wondering if perhaps he would be better off bringing the platter to Gladiolus, who might actually show a modicum of _gratitude_ , Ignis tries another tactic. “Perhaps a little wager is in order.”

Noctis chirps, “Not interested.”

“In King’s Knight.” 

That catches Noctis’ attention. He spares Ignis another glance, obviously listening. So Ignis offers, “The three of us will play one zone, and if I can beat your scores... no, if I can beat both of your scores _combined_... then you must eat at least half of these vegetables before midnight tonight.” He knows he has to be specific for Noctis not to weasel out of it. He hopes that the honour of a bet, at least, will be something Noctis will adhere to.

Noctis actually snorts at the suggestion, countering, “Not that seeing you come nowhere close to my score alone wouldn’t be satisfying enough... but what’s in it for me?”

“If you win,” Ignis decides, “then not only will I not remind you of your dietary needs for the remainder of the month, but I will prepare and serve any meal you like for the duration of an entire week, even should you want nothing but cup noodles for all three meals.”

Prompto chimes in, “What about me?”

“While I would also like to see your diet improve, yours isn’t nearly so abominable as Noct’s.”

Noctis chimes in with an offended, “Hey!” But Prompto grins. Ignis is almost certain that when Noctis inevitably loses, he’ll make Prompto suffer with him, and the three of them will easily manage to polish off the entire platter. He might even make a second one for Gladiolus tomorrow, just so he won’t feel left out when he hears Noctis whining about it.

For a few more idle seconds, Noctis seems to consider the offer. Then he announces, “Fine... it’ll be worth it just to get you off my back.” Ignis nods in acceptance.

He withdraws his phone from the pocket of his jacket and boots up the application. By the time his game has loaded, Noctis has sent him a suggested level. He notes with wry amusement that it’s one of the final ones, easily one of the most difficult, but that won’t be any trouble for him at all. 

Noctis is the one to declare, “One... two... three... go!”

And then they all begin clicking madly away. Noctis and Prompto are so intent that they both actually lean physically forward, hunching over their phones as they’re swallowed up in the fictitious world. Ignis, having built up his gaming skills over more than a decade of waiting for diplomats and royals out in absent hallways or cars, has no trouble remaining on his feet and keeping his posture straight. His thumbs fly across his phone as quickly as the others, but his aim is immaculate, his precision perfect. He makes every move with a calculated certainty, aiding an overarching strategy. His concentration never wavers.

And when the proverbial smoke clears, the scores tallying up, he’s utterly unsurprised to have earned a place, yet again, on the leaderboards. 

In the wake of his unequivocal victory, Ignis clicks his phone off. He deposits it back in his jacket, for as much as he enjoys a good fictional pursuit, he lives the majority of his life in the real world. Noctis and Prompto both look up at him with twin expressions of shock. Prompto’s stays firmly grounded in bewilderment, but Noctis’ slowly evolves into bitter dismay.

Ignis smoothly reminds him, “I believe you have a debt, Your Highness. If it’s any consolation, I’ll do a bit of tidying up around here while I stick around to be sure you keep your word. Sadly, it does seem this place is as poorly kept as your usual diet.”

And he heads to the nearest discarded hoodie to begin, while both his opponents are left speechless in the dust.


End file.
